“A Thankful Heart Will Enhance God’s Blessing”
By Richard Allen – November 11, 2024
Anyone who understands this country’s “drift into darkness” these past 32 years, also knows there is a lot of work to do to bring back “The Rule of Law,” and repudiate the “Woke Agenda.” Yet, we still need to rejoice over the victory that God in His providence provided a week ago on November 5th. Many writers have written to describe how big the Trump win was. Don’t mistake what I’m saying – this is Not Salvation! Donald Trump is our President Elect – Not Our Savior! We only have one Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ! But based on Trump’s past performance – it’s safe to say that he will do all that lies within him as a man and a strong leader, to right the wrongs, and stem the persecution of God’s People by the Progressive Left and their “woke agenda.” By taking the country in a different direction, President Trump will also resist and possibly thwart the efforts of “The New World Order” well beyond America’s shores.
President Trump has promised to stop the invasion of this great land by foreign invaders, mostly unskilled men and women who “Do Not Yearn to Breathe Free,” nor do they respect our laws. Worse, they “have no desire to assimilate,” or even pretend to love America’s Freedoms or the Right to Pursue Happiness. This Invasion – if left unchecked –would forever change the country into a Slave State, where we ‘unwashed peons’ are enslaved by the Elites – all to give them total power! I do believe, if he’s allowed to govern, President Trump will return this country to being an “Oil Exporter,” and in the process lower prices for: Energy and Food, and most everything else. This will bring prosperity and jobs back to struggling families – especially the poor. Rather than rehash the election or reasons for Trump’s amazing victory, I think it best to admonish God’s People with a reminder from the story of the 10 Lepers as recorded in Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 17:11-19. This story should remind us all that it’s not wrong to enjoy Trump’s win, but it’s even more important to “take time to stop and Praise God” for His victory. Here’s how Luke narrates the Ten Lepers:
“On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well’ ” (Luke 17:11-19).
I’m guessing you all know where I’m headed with my title: “Remember the Nine Lepers.” Only One Leper took time in the midst of his incredible healing to “return and give thanks to the Lord Jesus.” A little clarification from Scripture should help us understand what was going on. First, the disease of Leprosy, or Hansen’s Disease, is a withering disease that attacks the nerves under the skin with swelling and causes deterioration and discoloration. The Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament Chapter 13, gives instructions how a Levitical Priest could determine if someone had Leprosy. There is a detailed process by which a Priest had to examine and determine if the person with the swelling, discoloration or eruption in the skin – actually had Leprosy, or was suffering with some other kind of skin infection or condition. Being determined as having Leprosy brought “exclusion from God’s People” for an Israelite:
“Then the priest shall examine him, and if the diseased swelling is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprous disease in the skin of the body, he is a leprous man, he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; his disease is on his head. The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp” (Leviticus 13:43- 46).
In many ways, being declared a Leper was a “death sentence” for a Jew in Jesus’ day. They could no longer associate with their family or loved ones, they were barred from any act of worship at the Temple, they were Unclean! Levitical Priests were the “gatekeepers” who determined whether a person had Leprosy and was condemned to a “living death,” or was “clean and could be admitted back into society!” So, when we read in Luke 17 of Ten Lepers meeting Jesus – as He entered a village between Galilee and Samaria – we can understand the torment that these poor souls were suffering. They no doubt had heard of the young Rabbi who was “healing all manner of diseases,” and making people whole again. So, when they saw Jesus, they cried out in desperation “Jesus, master, have mercy on us.” By Law they could only cry out to Him from a distance as they were unclean. But instead of covering their upper lip and crying “Unclean, Unclean,” they cried out for Jesus to heal them.
The Savior’s fame had rapidly spread among the common people, to those who were broken, sick and tired. So, even if we pity them and the “missed opportunity” they had to thank and worship the Lord, we can understand their plight and torment. They wanted to be made whole, to once again be welcomed back into their families and to be loved. So, when this young Rabbi gave them instructions “Go show yourself to the Priest,” and that they were immediately healed from this horrible disease, we can understand their excitement to “get back to living again,” and to flee the “living death” they were suffering. It’s sad, but they just didn’t recognize there was something so much better than “just being healed” and welcomed back into their circle of family and friends. I’m sure the desire to “live again” after suffering so long, prompted them to “show themselves to the Priest and be declared Clean!” In our natural state, many of us would have done the same. There was a “better healing,” they could have “worshiped the only life-giver, God!”
You’re probably asking: “So what lesson do the Nine Lepers who went away, healed and rejoicing, have for us after the amazing Election victory of Donald J. Trump?” The answer is both Biblical and simple: “We are so excited to be healed from all the hatred and division we’ve suffered as a nation – longing get back to some sense of normalcy in America. We all see the blessing that God has given us a President who doesn’t “hate this country or her ideals,” and promises to once again give the average citizen a say in being governed. But we are also tempted to get on with life, and not thank God! Over this past week, we’ve seen every kind of reaction to this amazing Election. From “wailing and gnashing” by those who are deceived into believing the “woke agenda,” to “taunting and ridicule” from those who want to “gloat” over the demise of the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris. Let me say from the outset, one of the most encouraging scenes I was able to witness several days after the Election, was a video taken in the “wee hours of the morning” on Wednesday, November 6, at the Republican Campaign Celebration. While waiting for the President-Elect, Donald Trump to appear – the whole room of campaign workers and staff broke into song, singing: “How Great Thou Art” – just like the One Leper who returned to give God thanks and praise!
This was the right response, and one in which God would be pleased. Jesus makes it clear that “returning to say thanks and worship” was the only response for all Ten Lepers when he asked: “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17). Like the Nine Lepers, who had also been healed – in our excitement to be fully restored – we need to take the opportunity to “worship the God who has given us this victory.” And this one act by the lone Leper – a Samaritan foreigner – shows us exactly how we are to deal with Trump’s Victory: We first need to return and give God the Praise and Thanksgiving! We’re excited in the anticipation of “being healed from the campaign of hate” that Neo-Marxists – in their attempt to divide and conquer us – have stirred up in America over the past 20+ years. And like the Ten Lepers, we all know there are specific steps we need to take, to return to National Health. Understandably, many of us are “chomping at the bit,” ready to do our part to Make America a Better place again. But we will miss the “better victory” if we forget to “Return and Worship the Living God” – who has providentially restored to us again the hope to be “One Nation Under God.”
How ironic, the Nine Lepers, anxious to “return to the land of the living” and be restored to family, and again be included in Temple worship – missed the greatest opportunity Life ever offered them: “To worship the Son of God in the Flesh” – standing right before their eyes! The Nine Lepers were so happy with being healed, they were rushing to “show the Priest” so they could be restored to worship. But they failed to worship Immanuel – God with Us – in their very midst! We never hear any more about the Nine Lepers who went on their merry way, healed and reunited with their families, friends and worship. How sad if they ultimately didn’t trust in the Messiah, Jesus, and receive the “eternal healing” that provides forgiveness of sin. Isaiah Chapter one makes it clear that Leprosy was a picture of all of us as “fallen men and women,” ravaged with a fatal disease – Sin! And this disease will not just remove us from a normal life, this disease will ultimately bring “the second death.” A second term for President Trump will not heal us from that disease, only faith in Jesus can cleanse us from our sin.
My prayer for all my readers is that we take the time daily, to Thank and Praise God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for this time of blessing. That alone will prepare us for the work ahead that needs to be done. This is an opportunity to “sow the good seed,” and “proclaim the so great Salvation that is freely offered in Jesus Christ alone.” Thanking and Praising God will give us a humble mindset, and keep our eyes fixed on Him who alone can give us life and help this weary world, suffering with a loathsome disease, sin. Jesus alone can Heal us, Restore us and make us Clean!
Soli Deo Gloria!